[ZESTCaste] Raja used cops to usurp villagers’ land for MRF

http://expressbuzz.com/states/tamilnadu/raja-used-cops-to-usurp-villagers%E2%80%99-land-for-mrf/233081.html

Raja used cops to usurp villagers' land for MRF

C Shivakumar
Express News Service
First Published : 21 Dec 2010 03:55:56 AM IST

PERAMBALUR: The state machinery was used to procure land belonging to
about 160 villagers, including 60 Dalits, in Naranamangalam village in
Perambalur district after they reportedly spurned offers from former
Union telecom minister A Raja to sell their land for a project by
tyre-manufacturing company, MRF, according to a signed petition by the
villagers.

The villagers told Express that after they fended off an attempted
acquisition of their lands by the district administration in 2007,
they were summ­oned by then Union Telecom Minister A Raja who urged
them to sell their land to MRF for a 'good pri­ce'. He reportedly said
MRF would give them jobs too.

When they refused, Raja allegedly threatened would get the land with
the help of the state machinery and that they would only be paid a sum
decided by the government.

Soon after, the villagers faced an ordeal as Green House Promoters,
owned by Raja's aide Sadiq Basha and the minister's family members,
entered the scene. Police vehicles began making rounds of the village,
the locals were picked up and taken to the office of the
Superintendent of Police office or the district collector and asked to
transfer their title deeds to Green House Promoters. A few non-Dalits
were even arrested under the SC/ST Act and released abruptly once
their land was transferred to Green House Promoters. What's more, in
cases where the man of the house was working abroad, even women were
intimidated by the authorities and forced to sign the documents over.

When Express cont­acted district collector M Vijay Kumar, he sa­id
there might have been some instances where force was used. "I am
ordering an inq­uiry, and action will be taken..." However, he ruled
out handing back the land to the villagers. "This is a good project
for the district which is dry and backward. More than 435 acres of
land have been procured for MRF to start a unit for passenger and
truck radials, besides another 150 acres for a trial track. Production
is expected to be­gin by April or May next year." The villagers on
Monday faxed a signed petition to the PM and the National Human Rights
Commission to intervene and take action against Raja, Basha, then
district collector Anil Meshram, then superintendent of police Prem
Anand Sinha and other officials.

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